Refrigerating apparatus



Feb. 22, 193s.v B, B @YER Re. 20,656

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Original Filed July 17 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet ATTORNEYS Feb. 22, 1938. a GEYER- 4 Re. 20,656

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Original Filed July 17, 1950" ZSheets-Sheet 2 A ITORNE Y6 Feb. 22, 1938 r r I I Re.

- umran STATES PAT'ENT- OFFICE B. Gen Dayton. Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to General Motors Corpo- J ration, a corporation of Delaware Original No. 1,940,680, dated December 26, 1933, Serial No. 468,604, July 17, 1930, Renewed May 15, 1933., Application for reissue December 20, 1935, Serial No. 55,491

30 Claims. (Cl. 62-1085) This invention relates to refrigerating appaduets coils o t e pu p e o freezing ice ratus and more particularly to the-type of appau The 000111118 un 2| is pp with 1- ratus adapted for household use having means uid refrigerant which absorbs heat from the refor freezing or congealing the so-cailed ice cubes. tor a f o e l qu n the i e trays 6 One of the objects of the present invention is a d hus Causes ee y 8 the liquid in to provide improved means and method for rethe trays below its freezing te p leasing the so-called ice cubes from the trays or One of the preferred forms of ice'tray 25 15 molds in which they are frozen. shown in Fig. 2 having a transverse rib 26 (Figs.

More specifically it is an object of the inven- 2 and 13) dividing the tray into front and rear tion to-provide for releasing the frozen liquid r each n n a r m m r 21 10 from the mold or tray in which it has been frozen which divides each portion 0 e ay nto by moving the walls of the molds or the grid in plurality of ice cube molds. Each grid 21 is made the tray, forcing the frozen liquid out of the mold into two halves each having a longitudinal memor tray, and utilizing the movement to break the ber 28 with a plurality of transverse partitions bond between the frozen liquid and the mold or 29 extending at right angles to the longitudinal tray. member 28. The two halves have their longitu- Further objects and advantages of the present dinal members placed side by side and their ends invention will be apparent from the following deriveted together forming the central longitudinal scription, reference being had to the accompanypartition of the grid structure, with the plurality ing drawings, wherein a preferred form of the of transverse partitions intersecting the central present invention is clearly shown. longitudinal partition on. either side at right In the drawings: 7 angles. In the center of the longitudinal parti- Fig. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator with tion of the grid member is positioned a square the door open showing. a cooling unit containing cam member 30 (Figs. 5 and 6) extending verti- 5 trays for freezing ice cubes; cally between the two halves and having a cam' 25,

Fig. 2 is a top view of a preferred form of ice member 3| fixed at its lower end which coacts tray showing applicants invention; with a cam member 32 which is fixed to the bot- Fig. 3 shows another preferred form of ice tray tom of the tray 25. The ice blocks are loosened embodying applicants invention; by moving one of the vertical walls of the mold. 30 Fig. 4 is a portion of an ice tray incorporating By engaging the upper end of the vertical cam 30 a modified form of applicant's invention; member 30 with a key and rotating it to the posi- Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view along the line tion shown in. Fig. 6, the grid 2'l will be flexed 5-5 of Fig. 2; by the spreading apart of the two halves'at their Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. center by the cam 30 while at the same time 35 5 showing the cam rotated as eighth turn; the grid member will be raised a short distance 35 Fig. 7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of a from the bottom of the tray. portion of Fig. 3 showingone of the grids; The tray 33 is divided into three compartments Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. by the hollow ribs 36 (shown in Fig. 3) and has showing the grid flexed; a conventional tray front 34 fastened to its front 40 Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view on the end. Each compartment contains a grid mem- 4o line 99 ofFig. 8 showing the position of the ber 31 having a'split central longitudinal partilower cams; tion 38 similar to thatshown in Fig. 2 and a plu- Fig. 10 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of rality of transverse partitions 39 connected to, the grid shown in Fig. 4; and intersecting the longitudinal partition 38 at Fig. 11 is a horizontal cross-sectional view simright angles. I'he split longitudinal partition is 45 ilar to Fig. 10 showing the grid member flexed; made of two strips of sheet metalwhich are riv- Fig. 12 shows a fragmentary cross-sectional eted together at the ends and has, in a central view on the line l2-I2 of Fig. 11; and I recess between the two strips, a vertical cam 40, Fig.' 13 is a cross-sectional view on the line oval-shaped in cross-section (Figs. 3, '7, 8 and 9), IS-l3 of Fig. 2. having a disk-shaped cam ll fixed at its lower 50 In Fig. 1' is shown a refrigerator 2!! having an end for coacting with a stationary cam 12 which evaporator or cooling unit 2| comprising ahead is similar to cam 32, shown in Figs. 5 and 6. er 22, and a plurality of ducts or coils 23 de- When the vertical cam All is turned a quarter of pending therefrom, and having a plurality .of a turn, the grid member ll, together with the trays or molds 24 supported within the depending cams ill and ii. is gradually raised a short dis- 5 tance upwardly from the tray the co-action v of cams ll and 42 and by this same turning of sides.

tical cam member 53 and rotated one-eighth of the cam 40 the split longitudinal partition of the grid is spread apart and flexed by the vertical cam 40. g r I In Fig.4 is shown another embodiment of applicants invention showing a portion of a tray 50 including a compartment 5| having tapered This compartment is divided into four ice cube molds bythe cruciform grid member 52 (see Figs. and 11) having a square verti cal cam 53 enclosed in the recess at the inter section of. the arms. L-shaped sheet metal portions having their legs assembled together back to backin the form of a cross and having the ends of the adjacent legs riveted together as shown in Fig. 12. The corners formed at the center of the grid are beveled and provide a square-shaped hollow center for receiving the'square. cam 53.

When a key is applied to the end of the vera revolution, the grid member is spread apart and fiexedalong the center lines of the partitions and the ice cubes frozen in the molds are pushed against the tapered sides of the compartment and force, the grid and the ice cubes upward and out of the compartment and at the same time the bond between the ice cubes and the grid is broken by the flexing of the grid,

thereby permitting the ice cubes to be removed without the application of heat in any form.

From the above description it will be seen that applicant has provided manual means wherebythe ice cubes after being frozen within the molds of an ice tray may be released from the grid and tray by spreading the grid and raising the gridfrom the tray.

While'the several forms of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitute a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

Whatis claimed is as follows:

1. In freezing apparatus for liquids, the com.- bination of 'a tray for making ice cubes, a grid within said tray adapted to form a plurality of ice cube molds, and cam means 'for expanding said grid and for raising the grid from the tray.

2.. Infreezlng apparatus for liquids, the combination of a tray for making ice cubes, a split grid within said tray adapted to. form a plurality of ice cube-molds, and cam means for simultaneously expanding the split grid and raising the grid from the tray.

3. In freezing apparatus for liquids, the combination of a tray for making ice cubes, a split partition within the tray adapted to form a plurality of ice cube molds, and means for simultaneously raising the partition from thetray and for spreading apart the split partition so as to release the cubes therefrom.

4. In a freezing apparatus, the combination of a; tray adapted to receive a substance to be frozen,

a grid within said tray adapted to divide .the

tray into a plurality of molds, said grid being of cruciform shape and including vertically extending walls, each wall of said cruciform shaped -grld. comprising two sheet metal members normally disposed in contact with one another, and means for simultaneously moving at least a portion of one of said sheet metal members relative to the other of said sheet metal members of each wall to expand the walls and separate the frozen substance from the grid.

It is made up of four ing walls, each-wall 'of said cruciform shaped grid comprising two sheet metal members normally disposed in contact with one another, and means for moving at least a portion of one of said sheet metal members relative to the other of said sheet metal members of each wall to simultaneously expand the walls of the grid and to raise the grid from the tray.

6. In a freezing apparatus, the combination of a tray adapted to receive a substance to be frozen, a grid within saidtray adapted to divide the tray into a plurality of molds, said grid being of cruciform shape and including vertically extending walls, each wall of said cruciform shaped grid comprising two sheet metal members normally disposed in contact with one another, and cam means for simultaneously moving at least a portion of both of said sheet metal members of each wall relative to one another to expand the walls and separate the frozen substance from the grid.

7. In a freezing apparatus, the combination of a tray adapted to receive a substance to be frozen, a grid within said tray adapted to divide the tray into a plurality of molds, said grid being of cruciform shape and including vertically extending walls, each wall of said cruciform shaped grid comprising two sheet metal members normally disposed in contactwith one another, and cam means for moving at least a portion of both of said sheet metal members of each wall relative to one another to simultaneously expand the walls of the grid and to raise the grid from the tray.

8. Ina freezing apparatus, the combination of a tray adapted to receive a substance to be frozen,

a grid within said tray adapted to divide the tray into a plurality of molds, said grid being of cruciform shape and including vertically extending sheet metal walls of double thickness, the sheet metal member forming one side of one wall being extended to form one side of an adjacent wall, the sheet metal member forming the opposite side of said one wall also being extended to form one side of a second adjacent wall, said sheet metal members of each wall being normally in contact with one another, and means for simultaneously moving the sides of each wall relative to one another to expand the walls and separate the frozen substance from the grid.

9. In a freezing apparatus, the combination of a tray adapted to receive a substance to be frozen, a grid within said tray adapted to divide the tray .into a plurality of molds, said grid being of cruciform shape and including vertically extending sheet metal walls of double thickness, the sheet metal member forming one side of one wall being extended to form one side of an adjacent wall, the

I sheet metal member forming the opposite side of said one wall also being extended to form one side of a second adjacent wall, said sheet metal members of each wall'beingnormally in contact with one another, and means for moving the sides of each wall relative to one another to simultaneously expand the walls of the grid and to raise the grid from the tray.

10. In a freezing apparatus, the combination of a tray adapted to receive a substance to be frozen, a grid within said tray adapted to divide the tray into a plurality ofsnolds, said grid being of cruciform shape and including vertically exa tray adapted to receive a substance to be frozen,

- 2o,eso

'wall'being extended to form one side of anadjacentwall, the sheet metal member forming" the opposite side of said one wall also being extended to form one side of a second adjacent wall, said sheet ,metal members of each wall being normally in contact with one another, and a manually actuated cam extending between the sheet metal members at the intersection of the walls of the cruciform shaped grid for simultaneously moving the sides of each wall relative to one another toexpand'the walls and separate the frozen substance from the grid.

'11-. In a freezing apparatus, the combination of a grid within said tray adapted to divide the tray into a plurality of molds, said grid being of cruciform shape and including vertically extending sheet metal walls of double thickness, the sheet metalmember forming one side of one wall beingextended to form one side of an adjacent wall, the

sheet metal member forming the opposite side of said one wall also being extended to form one side of a second adjacent wall, said sheet metal members of each wall being normally in contact with one another, and a manually actuated cam extending between the sheet metal members at the intersection of the walls of the cruciform shaped grid for moving the sides of each wall relative to one another to simultaneously expand the walls of the grid and-to raise the grid from the tray.

12. In a freezing apparatus, the combination of a tray adapted to receive a substance to be frozen,

a split grid within said tray adapted to divide the tray into a plurality of molds, cam means for expanding said split grid to separate the frozen substance from the grid, and a second cam movable simultaneously with said first named cam for raising the grid from the tray.

13. In refrigerating apparatus, the combination of a tray for freezing a substance into molds, a double walled grid within said tray adapted to form a pluralityof molds, both, walls of said double walled grid being movable relative to one another, and cam means for expanding the walls outwardly from one another and for simultaneously raising the grid relative to the tray.

14. In refrigerating apparatus, the combination of a tray for freezing a substance into molds,

form a plurality of molds, both walls of said double walled grid being secured together at least atone of their ends and being movable relative to one another at a point remote from the secured ends thereof, and cam means for expanding the movable portions of the walls outwardly from one another and for simultaneously raising the gridrelative to the tray.

'15, In refrigerating apparatus,th e combination of a tray for freezing a substance into molds, a

tion of a tray for freezing a substance into molds,

a double walled grid within said tray adapted to form a plurality of molds, at least one wall of said doublewalled grid being movable horizontally'relative to the other wall thereof, and cam means for expanding the movable wall outwardly relative to itsv corresponding wall and for simultaneously raising both walls of said double walled grid relative to the tray.

17. In freezing apparatus for liquids, the com-- bination of a tray for making ice cubes, a grid within said tray adapted to form a plurality of ice cube molds, and cam means within the tray for raising the grid from the tray.

18. In a freezing apparatus, the combination of a tray adapted to'receive a substance to be frozen, a split grid within said tray adapted to divide the tray into a plurality of molds, said split grid including a first portion movable relative to a second portion thereof, and means for moving one of said grid portions relative to the other and for moving at least a portion of said grid upwardly relative to said tray to separate the frozen substance from the grid and the tray.

19. In a freezing apparatus, the combination of ,a trayadapted to receive a substance to be frozen,

- a split grid within said tray adapted to divide the tray into a plurality of molds, said split grid incl'uding a first portion movable relative to a secing a pan adapted to receive a substance to be frozen and a grid within the pan for dividing the interior thereof into a plurality of ice block molds,

the method of releasing frozen blocks from the pan which consists in, moving the grid toward a side wall of said pan to substantially'compress the blocks between the grid and the pan wall to break the blocks loose from the .grid and the pan.

21. In a freezing apparatus of the type including a pan adapted to receive a substance to be frozen and a grid within-the'pan for dividing the interior thereof into a plurality of ice block molds, the method of releasing frozen blocks from the pan which consists in, moving the grid upwardly relative to the pan and simultaneously moving the grid toward a side wall of said pan to substantially compress the blocks between the grid and the pan wall to break the blocks loose from the grid and the pan.

22. In a freezing apparatus for liquids, in combination, a tray, a grid within .said tray forming a plurality of ice block molds, and force-multiplying means within' said tray reacting upon the bottom wall of said tray and manually actuatable to urge the frozen ice blocks upwardly from said bottom wall. I

23. Ina freezing apparatus for liquids, in combination, a tray, 9. grid within said tray forming double walled grid within said tray adapted to a plurality of ice block molds, a force-multiplying means within said tray reacting upon the bottom wall of said tray and manually actuatable to urge I said grid upwardlyfrom said bottom wall to facilitate the removal of the frozen ice blocks from said tray. r

24; In a'freezing apparatus for liquids, in combination, a tray, a grid within said tray forming a plurality of ice block molds, and force-multiplying means within said tray reacting upon the inside portion of the bottom wall of said tray and manually "actuatable to urge at least some 01' the frozen ice blocks, upwardly relative to said tray.

25. In a freezing apparatus for liquids; in

'actuatable to loosen said bottom wall from the frozen contents in said tray.

26. In a freezing apparatus for liquids, in combination, a freezing tray having a bottom wall, a removable grid within said tray, and force-multiplying means engaging said bottom wall and having a rotatable actuating shank extending upwardly thru the frozen contents and projecting therea'bove, said actuating shank being rotatable to cause a separating force between said bottom wall and said grid.

2'7. In a freezing apparatus for liquids, in combination, a freezing tray, and a removable flexible partitioning grid in said tray, one of the partitioning walls of said grid comprising two flexible metal sheets normally disposed ,withtheir faces in substantial contact, said sheets being flxed together at anedge portion thereof in such'manner as to permit a slight relative movement between said sheets by flexure thereof to facilitate loosening of the frozen ice blocks therefrom.

28. In a, freezing apparatus for liquids, in combination, a freezing tray, and a removable flexible partitioning grid in said tray, one of the partiaopse I tioning walls of said grid comprising two flexible metal sheets normally disposed with their faces in susbtantial contact, said sheets being permanently fixed together only at theedge portion or 1 portions thereof and leaving the major normally contacting areas of said sheets free and capable of relative movement by distortion to facilitate loosening of the frozen ice blocks therefrom.

29. In a. freezing apparatus for freezing liquids,

in combination, a freezing tray, a removable flexible metal grid in said tray, said grid having double partitioning walls each comprising two flexible metal sheets normally held in face to face contact and being relatively separatable over the major portions of their normally contacting areas by flexure of said sheets whereby'to loosen the frozen bond of the contacting ice blocks.

30. In a freezing apparatus for liquids, in combination, a freezing tray, and a removable flexible partitioning grid insaid tray, one of the partitioning walls of said grid comprising two flexible metal sheets normally disposed with their faces in substantial contact, said sheets being fixed together at an edge portion thereof in such manner as to permit a slight relative movement between said sheets by flexure thereof, and means for causing aslight relative movement between said sheets to facilitate loosening of the ice blocks therefrom} BERTRAM B. GEYER. 

